A Scorpion By Any Other Name
by MopMustache
Summary: Scorpius faces a hard life at Hogwarts simply because he carries the Malfoy name, but an even greater challenge faces him and his friends as the magical school reveals something more sinister than any of them could ever imagine. Chapter 1 is up and the story begins! Rated T for language and sexual themes later on.


_Well this is my first fanfiction in a very long time, so bear with me a bit. I'm completely open to any and all suggestions regarding this story and I hope you'll stay with me to the end! It's going to be very long, so consider it a challenge. This first half is more of an introduction of Scorpius and his relationship to his family, but the more major characters are introduced in the second half. It's going to be a bit slow, but I'll do my best to keep you interested._

_**Disclaimer: I do not own anything. These characters and locations are all the sole property of J.K. Rowling**  
_

_I promise not to ruin this by interjecting Author's Notes in the middle of the story, I'll save them all for the beginning and end. I hope you enjoy!_

* * *

Scorpius Malfoy rolled his eyes as his father tousled his hair a bit too roughly. He knew his father would never admit it, but there they were: the Potters and the Weasleys. His mother, Astoria Malfoy looked on pleasantly and seemingly unaware as she patted her hair absent-mindedly, and upon making eye contact with her son, she beamed. Draco's face was tight and hard, and the smile on it was stretched thin, but it reached his eyes as he tore his gaze away from his childhood enemies and looked down at Scorpius.

"You live in a new age, my son," Malfoy said, not unkindly. He knelt before Scorpius and looked him in the eye the best he could. It was hard to be so affectionate to someone in plain sight of Harry, but this was his son, for Merlin's sake. His pride and joy. No Potter or Weasley could take that from him.

In that thought, Draco winced as the spot on his arm where the Dark Mark had once been flashed red-hot. He remembered, too clearly, begging Harry, who had just begun his career as an Auror, to remove the powerful tattoo from his body. It was the most humiliating and excruciating experience of his life, and he had allowed Harry Potter, _Harry Potter of all the wizards in the world_, to witness the most shameful moment of his life. Draco shook away the pain and embarrassment and refocused on his son. This was Scorpius's special day, and Malfoy could not be more proud…or terrified.

"I love you, Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy. You are going to go on to do great things, and that journey starts today. No matter what you do, I will always be proud of you," Malfoy said urgently. The lines across his forehead furrowed as he took each of Scorpius's hands in his own. Young Scorpius had never seen his father like this before, and he held his gaze, transfixed. Astoria hummed her approval and placed one hand upon each of them, but neither seemed to notice.

"Da…I, I love you, too. I will do everything I can to make sure you are proud of someone who deserves it," Scorpius said earnestly. He sheepishly looked up at his mother and grinned, "You too, Mum."

He looked just like his father when Draco had first come to Platform 9 and ¾ so many years ago. He was curious, his blue-grey eyes were shining with fear and elation, his mouth was slightly open in a constant flux between excitement and awe. Unlike Draco on his first day, however, Scorpius did not have the worry-line that was now a deep groove in Malfoy's forehead.

There was a loud whistle from an unseen conductor that tore the father and son's gaze apart, and Astoria jumped back in alarm. She giggled nervously in embarrassment and looked around quickly to see if anyone had spotted her in a moment of weakness. Much to Draco's relief, Harry, Ron, and Hermione had vanished in the crowd. Scorpius's head whipped back and forth excitedly as the station became busier and more people bumped into him, already forgetting that there had been Potters and Weasleys present to begin with. "Da, I think that means I have to board!" Scorpius squeaked. Terror was evident in his small face.

Scorpius squirmed out of his father's grip and grabbed his suitcase, looking up at Draco and Astoria expectantly. It was time for the last goodbyes. They would write of course. They all knew that, but it just wasn't the same as sitting in a room together and being a family, even if they didn't speak. It was a true love and adoration Scorpius held for his parents, and his father especially.

Malfoy beamed down at Scorpius and placed a hand on his shoulder, guiding him to the train and helping him up the first step. The train groaned a bit as the conductor readied for departure, and Scorpius's expression turned to one of angst and pure joy as he spun around to face his father.

"Da, the train is about to take off! I'm about to leave!"

Draco smiled up at his son and pushed him up a step further. "I know, son. I know," he said affectionately. The train gave a very sudden lurch and Draco stepped back, finally letting go of Scorpius. The boy dashed onto the train and popped up in a cabin window a moment later, waving wildly to his father and mother. Draco didn't hide his smile or his eyes shining with tears as he waved until the train was out of sight.

"Be…safe," Draco whispered to tracks. There was a small cough to his side and he looked over as Hermione stood for a fleeting moment to gaze at Draco. Her eyes were bright and her nose was red and she gave a loud sniff and smiled to him before running after Ron and clutching his arm tightly. Draco watched as they laughed together, their youngest child, Hugo, tangling in their feet. Malfoy turned to his wife and gave her a small smile and offered his arm. Astoria smiled shyly back and planted a kiss on his cheek before taking his arm and allowing him to Apparate them home with a loud crack.

* * *

Scorpius sat down solidly on his cabin seat cushion. He felt lucky to have found an empty cabin so fast and he eagerly watched out the window as other students rushed by, some peering in. He made eye-contact with a tallish boy who had a permanent smirk and piercing brown eyes. He was closely followed by a girl with bright red, curly hair and a brooding boy with his black hair slung in his face. Scorpius instantly identified them as James Potter, Rose Weasley, and Albus Potter, respectively. He tore his gaze away from James quickly, suddenly intrigued by the scenery outside. When he dared to look back, only a woman with a trolley could be seen.

He sighed deeply and sunk into his seat further, his heart pounding a bit more than it ought to. Though his father had rarely mentioned their names, Scorpius knew of the entire Potter and Weasley family. In a time such as this, it was impossible to have _not_ heard of them. They were living legends.

Scorpius's cabin swung open loudly and was shut quicker than he could look up and see who it was. He was startled to see Albus Potter crouched low, hiding from sight, signaling for Scorpius to stay quiet. The blonde boy did as was requested of him, and looked around the cabin nonchalantly until he spotted the Weasley girl and older Potter boy rush by his cabin once again. After a moment, he nodded to Albus, and the Potter stood.

"They wanted me to go sit in a cabin of girls, can you imagine that?" Potter explained. He straightened his posture a bit and smoothed back his black hair, revealing green eyes. He looked the shy sort, Scorpius noted, but he had a sincere smile with a missing tooth on the bottom.

Scorpius laughed nervously and swung his legs a bit. He indicated with his head for the Potter to sit opposite of him, but Albus instead sat on the same side as him, close to the door so that his family members couldn't find him if they should peer in quickly.

"Thank you, you know for…letting me intrude on your privacy," Potter said, ducking his head a bit. He appeared equally as nervous, and Scorpius absently wondered if the Potter knew he was a Malfoy.

He held out his hand to Albus and grinned widely, trying to appear more confident than he felt. He felt close to tears, to be honest. "Anytime, especially when it comes to a cabin full of girls," he said good-naturedly. They shook hands firmly and the black-haired boy tilted his head in a goofy smile, "I'm Albus Potter, but I'd rather Al, if you don't mind." Scorpius opened his mouth to reply quickly, but his words got caught in his throat and he coughed first. "Ah, ahem. Sorry. I'm Malfoy. Scorpius Malfoy…"

The expression on Al's face altered for a second before recomposing itself. Scorpius cringed inwardly, and he could feel his neck flushing red. He looked down quickly, to avoid watching Al struggle through his own emotions and his family's wishes. Apparently Albus hadn't known he was a Malfoy.

"So erm…I reckon we'll be begging to sit in the girls' cabin in a year or so," Scorpius said to the window, trying to break the silence. He looked over as Al snorted loudly, his voice shaking a bit. "Not likely. My cousin, Rose, will be with them! I don't need her around whenever I get around to the woo-ing age. She's a sweet girl, but I think sometimes she talks to James too much!"

"You say that like it's a bad thing, Al!" James rang out. Both first-years jumped at the sound of the older Potter and Al scrambled to the far corner of the cabin, his fear of being dragged to the girls' cabin rekindled. James chuckled to himself at the sight of the boys and let himself into the cabin, pushing open the door he had cracked only moments before. The red-haired girl followed, her frizzy curls hiding her face and shoulders. James sat beside Scorpius and Rose sat near her cousin, laughing as she pulled at his arms.

"Oh come off it, Al! We were just having a bit of fun, I wasn't _really_ going to make you sit with the girls. Ha! Can you imagine?"

Al looked up at Rose and then to Scorpius, his mouth in a wide and open smile, "Now, Scorpius, tell me, isn't that what I just said? Can you imagine it?"

James and Rose snapped to Scorpius, the mirth slowly fading from their faces. James leaned over farther to get a better glimpse at the Malfoy's face, and the blonde boy instinctively tucked his chin down.

"Would you look at that!" James cackled, pulling away and pointing to Scorpius's face. "Al's befriended a Malfoy already, what luck he has! Next he'll be a Slytherin, I can feel it!"

Al reddened and shrank himself into his corner, pulling away from Rose completely. Malfoy saw red and instantly snapped his head up and addressed James directly. "I'm sure I don't know what you mean by that," he said darkly. The light in the cabin flickered and all of the Potters and the Weasley flinched.

James laughed a little too loudly, clapping his leg a bit, and generally trying to save face. "Rose, can you hear the rubbish this Malfoy is spouting? As if he doesn't know that his father, no, the whole Slytherin lot, was a bunch of lousy gits!"

Scorpius's confidence faltered a bit and he bit his lip hard. He looked away, ashamed and shuddered deeper into his seat as Rose and Al abruptly stood. There was a loud slap and Scorpius whipped his head around just in time to see Al holding back Rose as she lifted her red palm again to have another go at James.

"You take that back, Potter!" she screeched, lunging at him again to no avail. Al had a tight hold on her, and he was meekly trying to talk over her, to soothe her. James's face was still snapped to the side, his eyes wide and bright with shock and pain. His cheek was a burning pink and four welts had already begun to rise. He lifted his gaze to Rose and raised his own hand as if to hit her in return. A second too late, Scorpius leapt to his feet to intervene, wand drawn.

The cabin door slid open and a plump woman in a horrendous Muggle, green, tweed, skirt suit stepped in. She wore entirely too much rouge and the air was instantly filled with the scent of mothballs and a powdery perfume as she moved briskly to James and hoisted him upright, marching him out into the train corridor. She paused for a moment, eyeing Scorpius's wand and he hastily returned it to the pocket of his robes. She nodded curtly before dragging James away.

"James Potter, you know full-well that this cart is for first-years only, I won't have you corrupting the young ones before they even know what the castle looks like! We aren't on school grounds yet, so don't make me put a hex on you while I still can…"

Her voice trailed off as Rose quietly closed the cabin door. She remained standing, refusing to turn and look at her cousin and Malfoy. Al reached out to her, hardly brushing her shoulder before she turned around swiftly, smiling broadly though her hands trembled. Her freckles stood out sharply against her pale skin and her two front teeth seemed overly large for how hard she was grinning. Scorpius thought it looked painful, but also thought that maybe her forced smile was more telling than his own careful mask of emotions.

"I'm Rose, Rose Weasley," she said after a moment of harsh smiling. She thrust out a shaking hand and Scorpius took it quickly and offered a frightened smile in return. "I already know who you are, of course," she said as she pulled away. Her smile became more gentle and sincere, and her eyes flashed a bit mischievously. Malfoy bit back a smile of his own as he thought that Rose's eyes had an uncanny resemblance to James's.

"Perhaps it would have been better if I'd sat in the girls' cabin myself instead of chasing Al with that git. James thinks he _so_ clever teasing Al like that, but I think he just doesn't know when he takes it too far sometimes and I suppose it gets to me, too… I wouldn't mind it if I got in Slytherin, though I think that James would never let me live it down. I'd have to beat him at everything, of course. And probably hex him every chance I've got, I just _know_ he would throw them at me all the time… and Al! Al will have to help me for certain. We'll have to team up, regardless of what houses we're sorted into and… Alright then, what's so funny?"

Scorpius couldn't keep his laughter in during Rose's quick rant, and he snickered as silently as he could while she glared down on him. Al was also stifling a laugh, wedging his face into the corner of the cabin.

"Well? What is it? Oh, boys are so stupid!" Rose said in frustration. She slammed out of the cabin and stormed down the hall while Scorpius and Al rolled around a bit, gasping for air.

Scorpius was the first to regain his composure and he lifted his head to Al, who was wheezing with bugged-out eyes.

"Merlin, does she ever shut her mouth?" Scorpius asked, clambering to his feet. Al remained on the floor, sitting cross-legged and running a hand through his already wild hair. "She's really not all that bad, you know. She must really have taken a liking to you to talk that much and that fast!" Al burst into another fit of laughter at Scorpius's expression. He had turned as red as a beet in two seconds and he playfully kicked at the already winded Albus.

"Oh shut it, will you? Or I'll toss you out and you can join the girls' cabin!"

Albus quickly sobered at the thought and struggled to his feet. Scorpius grabbed a shoulder and helped him up, pushing Al down into the seat across from him. They sat in silence for a bit, and eventually Al's hair fell back into his face and he became the brooding Potter once more. There was only a moment of quiet before Scorpius leapt to his feet once again, pressing his face against the glass. "Look, Al! I see the castle!"

Potter quickly scrambled to his feet and mashed his face against the window as well. He fogged up the glass pane in awe and turned to smile at Scorpius. The blonde returned the smile excitedly and allowed himself to fall back onto his seat. "This is the first day of the rest of my life," he said breathlessly. Albus sat back and stared at Scorpius thoughtfully, contemplating his words.

"You know, Scorpius, I don't think I'd mind being in Slytherin if you were there with me. I doubt Rose will be there, she's too much of a Weasley, but we could be the best… together, you know?" Al said tentatively.

Scorpius happily replied, "You know, Albus…I think I'd really like that," before looking out the window at the Hogwarts castle.

He already knew what to write in his first letter to his father.

* * *

_Ah, the seeds of friendship. And turmoil. And...girls (ew!). I'd love for a review or two. I'll try to crank out another chapter as soon as I can with less characters being awkward and more action. Hopefully they won't all be as long as this...unless you liked the length? Tell me what you think! Ciao~_

_-MopMustache_

_(Note: I will most likely skip a year or two since I'm not J.K. Rowling and therefore I do not have the ability to write eight years worth of a fictional character's life. Wish I could, but I can't. Yet.)_


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